Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-06
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The plans below show the site of an airport now and how it will look after redevelopment next year.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
SOUTHWEST AIRPORT
Student answer (Band 5.5)
The diagram illustrates the construction plan of an airport now and after redevelopment next year.
Overall, the most noticeable facilities after redevelopment are Bag drop, ATM machines, Sky train, Car hire and Extra gates for passengers comfort.
Regarding the current plan, It has two gates for departure and arrivals and also it contains cafe opposite to departure area. The check-in is next to cafe then passed by security passport control, After the proceedings there is a walkway for the people. The current airport have passport control customs after arrival gate. The current airport plan have 8 gates based on travelers concern.
On the other hand, the updated plan contain all these facilities but plan also provides Bag drop, sky trains, car hire, ATM machines and also extended the cafes in 2 areas in departure block and arrival block also the gates were also updated with 2 different entry and exit at arrival and departure. The Gates were increased to 18 for the travelers. Stalls were also located right next to security passport control. Walkway is replaced with Sky train.
to conclude the facilities provided were improved when compared with the previous plan.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main features of the airport plans, identifying key changes such as the increase in gates and the addition of new facilities. However, the description of the current layout is somewhat confusing and inaccurate in places (e.g., mentioning '8 gates' which is not clearly supported by the visual). While the overview highlights the main changes, the comparison between the two plans lacks precision. To reach a higher band, ensure that the data is described more accurately and that the comparison between the 'now' and 'next year' states is more structured and analytical rather than just listing features.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, including an introduction, overview, and body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'The current airport...', 'On the other hand...'). There are also issues with referencing; for instance, the phrase 'all these facilities' is vague, and the transition between sentences sometimes feels disjointed. Paragraphing is present, but the internal flow of ideas within the paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to better connect the comparison of the two plans.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the reader to understand the main points. However, the range is limited and there is some repetition of basic terms like 'facilities', 'plan', and 'gates'. There are also minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'passengers comfort' (should be 'passenger comfort') and 'proceedings' (which is not the best fit for moving through an airport). To improve, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to maps and diagrams, such as 'layout', 'configuration', 'expansion', and 'relocated'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('The current airport have', 'the updated plan contain') and article usage ('opposite to departure area'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and incorrect comma usage. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the response from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage (present simple for descriptions) would significantly improve the clarity of your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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